As we approach the second week of Palace’s search for a new manager it’s become no clearer who will get the job - or who the fans want.

In a field devoid of any clear standout options, it was Marco Silva that a lot of Eagles fans decided they could get behind as manager.

The Portuguese coach had impressed at Hull and was making a name for himself as a talented young manager with a bright future ahead of him.

There were a few concerned voices pointing out the way his Tigers team collapsed at the end of the season - particularly in a 4-0 defeat at Selhurst Park that confirmed their fate - but the fact that he could be reunited with Luka Milivojevic, who captained Silva’s Olympiakos team to the title a year ago, was exciting.

It also looked like the vacant seat would be filled quickly, which was exactly how everyone wanted it.

It means whoever does get the job will probably have to work quite had to win over large sections of the Selhurst support, although to be fair, that’s exactly what Allardyce had to do too, given the lukewarm reception to his appointment.

Five months later and most fans are disappointed to see him go, which goes some way to showing how much Palace supporters will get behind the right man given the chance.

There is one thing most Eagles supporters are in agreement with however; Sammy Lee must stay at the club.

Allardyce’s perennial assistant has been a hugely popular addition to the backroom staff since joining in February. Indeed, results improved almost immediately after Sam had been forced to wait to bring him in.

Players like Andros Townsend credited Lee for helping with their turnaround in form and he was regularly seen jumping up and down on the Selhurst Park touchline with joy, celebrating goals. His passion was infectious and the Palace fans took to him quickly.

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And with Allardyce claiming he was leaving not just Palace but football in general, it means he won’t be taking Little Sam with him (unless he goes back on his word and joins another club in the immediate future).

The Eagles would like to keep Lee at the club and there are reports that was one of the reasons Silva chose Watford as he had been keen to bring in a completely new team of backroom staff.

Whoever does come in will be asked the same thing, and if they are happy to work with Lee then suddenly things don’t look so bad.

A team of Dyche and Lee could work and there are rumours Palace will now make a serious play for the Burnley man who has applied for a job at the club before in the past.

Silva will have quickly gone from insignificant coach to public enemy no.1 at Palace now and it will make some traditionally feisty clashes with Watford even more interesting next season.

Hopefully the Eagles won’t rue missing out on him and whoever takes the job instead will have won the Selhurst faithful round by then to make them realise that every cloud has a Silva lining.